Steve Nash: I think James Harden is happy to be here

Dave Early: “Yeah I think James is happy to be here,” says Steve Nash. Adds he’s understandably frustrated with the teams average play since the COVID return. But thinks he’s as happy now as he has been when he first arrived.
Source: Twitter @DavidEarly

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Dave Early @DavidEarly
James Harden is on the injury report w/ left hamstring tightness. It was the right one that suffered grade 2 strain last year.
“Questionable is all I got, he’s reported a little hamstring tightness so we’ll see how it goes when he gets through his protocols,” said Steve Nash. – 6:37 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“I think James is happy to be here I just think it’s frustrating right now…we have higher expectations and I thin it’s frustrating but I think James is happy here for sure.”
-#Nets Steve Nash was asked if James Harden is as happy now as he was when he first got to Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/neIhJ6b2Dp – 6:33 PM

Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Load Mismanagement with @jphanned is live on the new show channel @Underdog__NBA
“Fastest 5 Minutes” with the Lord of Lineups, What to do about this Harden news, Common Cents picks, and all the usual stuff.
Taking your questions now through tipoff
➡️ https://t.co/bvUG6dDb3l pic.twitter.com/dvSzVhQFre – 6:30 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Yeah I think James is happy to be here,” says Steve Nash. Adds he’s understandably frustrated with the teams average play since the COVID return. But thinks he’s as happy now as he has been when he first arrived. – 6:26 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash doesn’t have an update on James Harden’s status for tonight. Adds Nic Claxton is resting out precaution given he came back in a back-to-back. Expects him to play against Golden State on Saturday. – 6:24 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Steve Nash on Nikola Jokic: “He’s an MVP for a reason. He’s incredible.” – 6:23 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Update from Nets: Harden (left hamstring tightness) questionable vs. Nuggets.
Sharpe (non-COVID illness) out tonight. – 6:19 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
James Harden (left hamstring tightness) is questionable for the #Nets. Day’Ron Sharpe (non-Covid illness) is out. #Nuggets – 6:18 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets say Day’Ron Sharpe is out with a non-COVID related illness and James Harden is questionable with left hamstring tightness for tonight’s game against the Nuggets. – 6:17 PM

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Nets say James Harden (left hamstring tightness) is now questionable to play tonight against Denver. – 6:17 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets list James Harden as questionable tonight with left hamstring tightness. Day’Ron Sharpe is out sick (non-COVID). – 6:17 PM

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
On today’s episode of the Game Theory Podcast, we chatted Simmons/Harden, Chris Mack, OTE, and plenty more — including Kentucky-Auburn
@matt_pennie was there, and he gave his take on Jabari Smith:
“Jabari Smith is the No. 1 pick in the draft.”
FULL EP: https://t.co/t437xO60R2 pic.twitter.com/mReeHNJHtU – 5:32 PM

Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
NEW:
James Harden-Joel Embiid isn’t necessarily a slam dunk pairing… That’s if it even happens.
NBA exec: “I’d be worried about how this is going to go for Joel.”
bit.ly/32DcV5s – 5:16 PM

James Harden @JHarden13
🖤 pic.twitter.com/niZTfTWmTl – 5:00 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Sources: 76ers & Hawks briefly discussed a trade of Ben Simmons & Tobias Harris for John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic & Danilo Gallinari, but talks stalled with Atlanta unwilling to take Harris. More on Simmons, James Harden & Domantas Sabonis on @Jorge Sierra. hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trad… – 4:43 PM

Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh
🏀 HABERSHOW w/@Amin Elhassan 🏀
We’ve already seen more NBA ejections this season than we did all of last season. What’s behind that trend? Amin and I go deep the Grayson Allen play, Harden/Sixers and Grant Hill’s Sprite ads.
🍎: https://t.co/uNjbQSdDEd
✳️: https://t.co/JATT0k5XHb pic.twitter.com/JCnvy45sUH – 3:39 PM

Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh
🏀 HABERSHOW w/@Amin Elhassan 🏀
We’ve already seen more NBA ejections this season than we did all of last season. What’s behind that trend? Amin and I go deep the Grayson Allen play, Harden/Sixers and Grant Hill’s Sprite ads.
🍎: apple.co/3rUNhSk
✳️: spoti.fi/32yOLc8 – 3:35 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
NBA Star Power Index: Joel Embiid continues tear; LeBron steals show; James Harden tiring of time with Nets?
cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-s… – 2:49 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
What path could bring James Harden to the Sixers? Exploring every available option inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 2:13 PM

JD Shaw @JShawNBA
NBA’s best from January 25:
– J. Embiid: 42 pts, 14 reb, 4 blk
– A. Edwards: 40 pts, 9 reb, 3 stl
– J. Tatum: 36 pts, 6 ast, +36
– J. Harden: 33 pts, 12 reb, 11 ast
– L. James: 33 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast
– J. Brown: 30 pts, 10 reb, 24 min
– N. Jokic: 28 pts, 21 reb, 9 ast – 11:31 AM

David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
On this week’s “Hoops, Adjacent” ep of @AthleticNBAShow w/ @Marcus Thompson: Good yak on Nets’ Harden issues, Cam Reddish’s disappearance in New York, the Lakers’ mess, what the Hawks have to do and more with our buddy @Howard Beck from SI. Listen in!:
theathletic.com/podcast/8-the-… – 11:00 AM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
The Pacers aren’t moving Domantas Sabonis unless they get a Nikola Vucevic type of package in return. More on Sabonis, James Harden, Ben Simmons, Robert Covington, Eric Gordon, Jalen Brunson, and others with colleague @Yossi Gozlan on the @Jorge Sierra podcast hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trad… – 10:56 AM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
ICYMI: James Harden’s triple-double not enough to save #Nets from their own sorry transition defense vs #Lakers nypost.com/2022/01/25/jam… via @nypostsports – 10:44 AM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
ICYMI: James Harden explains frustrations with the #Nets’ woes nypost.com/2022/01/25/jam… via @nypostsports – 10:42 AM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Can AD save the Lakers, Harden-Simmons buzz, Pistons plans for Jerami Grant, more. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 10:00 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
James Harden says he is frustrated because he wants to win sportando.basketball/en/james-harde… – 9:37 AM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Three Things to Know: Harden and the freedom a couple hundred million dollars can bring nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/26/thr… – 9:19 AM

Michael Dugat @mdug
I still don’t like Harden, but I’ll probably never come closer to liking him than when reading about his frustrations with Kyrie. – 9:15 AM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
LeBron and the Lakers are excited to welcome Anthony Davis back, while James Harden is frustrated after another home loss for the Nets. | AP News apnews.com/article/brookl… – 8:17 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
What path could bring James Harden to the #Sixers?: Exploring every available option inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer #BrooklynNets #NBA75 – 8:05 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
What path could bring James Harden to the #Sixers? Exploring every available option inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer #NBA #Brooklyn #BrooklynNets #Nets #76ers #NBA #NBA75 – 6:51 AM

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
GAME THEORY PODCAST: @matt_pennie is here!
We run through Simmons/Harden stuff; Chris Mack-Louisville; Shaedon Sharpe news; UK-Auburn, Ignite, and OTE #PennieFieldTrip; Mailbag, POTWs, more! Preview below
Apple: https://t.co/hIOdTGnsom
Watch on YouTube: https://t.co/4BYANwfasc pic.twitter.com/Yf5tk8zBVP – 6:49 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
‘Discussing the interest the Philadelphia 76ers have in James Harden, more Ben Simmons trade intel, and the mental toughness of Tyrese Maxey’ by Locked On 76ers – Daily Podcast On The Philadelphia Sixers megaphone.link/LKN2391796674 – 6:09 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
What path could bring James Harden to the #Sixers? Exploring every available option inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 5:44 AM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
James Harden shot down reports that he’s unhappy in Brooklyn. But he admitted he’s frustrated with the current state of the Nets. Tuesday provided him plenty of reasons why: theathletic.com/3093060/2022/0… – 12:53 AM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Harden: “Of course I’m frustrated because we’re not healthy, there’s a lot of inconsistency for whatever reason. Injuries, COVID …it’s frustrating. I think everybody in this organization is frustrated because we are better than what our record is and we should be on the way up” – 10:36 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Without Patrick Beverley, the difficulty of defensive matchup increases for Anthony Edwards.
Last game, Ant was matched with Kyrie (McDaniels on Harden) and tonight Ant is on McCollum (McDaniels on Simons) – 10:17 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Reports from who? Alright then I don’t know what you’re talking about…you’re talking about reports I don’t know about reports, did you guys hear from me? Alright then I don’t know about no reports.”
James Harden had a back-and-forth with a reporter about a recent trade update pic.twitter.com/ZiekHWXZf3 – 10:14 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
James Harden addressed a report that he’s not happy with the part-time status of Kyrie Irving and the rotation decisions of coach Steve Nash. pic.twitter.com/2FPtTePTRW – 10:09 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“If you didn’t hear it from me, like I don’t talk to nobody, I don’t have an agent, if ya’ll don’t hear from me, than it’s reports. I’m frustrated because I want to win, and I’m a competitor, it’s pretty simple.”
-Harden on recent reports he has ‘increased interest’ in a trade pic.twitter.com/BrP2elTbTg – 10:07 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
James Harden: “Of course I’m frustrated because we’re not healthy, where there’s a lot of inconsistency for whatever reason, injuries, COVID, whatever you want to call it. I think everybody in this organization is frustrated because we’re better than what our record is.” #Nets – 10:02 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
I asked James Harden about the reports suggesting he doesn’t like living in Brooklyn or NYC: “Of course (I like living here),” he said.
He also said he’s frustrated with rotations because rotations dictate winning. Says if it doesn’t come from his mouth, he didn’t say it. – 10:01 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Vogel noted LeBron being “really locked in” on defense, starting at shootaround, as a major key vs. BKN. James had 3 steals and 2 blocks, with those B2B steals basically sealing the game in the 4th. Lakers switched their coverage there to swarm Harden w/LeBron at free safety. – 10:01 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
James Harden denies having any problem with Steve Nash’s rotation and dismisses “reports. Did you guys hear that from me?” But he admits he’s just frustrated with the #Nets record and shorthanded state. – 10:01 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
James Harden asked about the reports about him today: “I didn’t hear about no reports.” Said he’s frustrated about the situation in Brooklyn given all the issues they’ve dealt with and wants to win, but didn’t talk to anybody. “Did you guys hear that from me?” – 10:01 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
“I’m frustrated cause I want to win and I’m a competitor.”
– James Harden says if you didn’t hear from him there’s no reports worth listening to. – 10:00 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
James Harden “I don’t know about any reports.” – 9:58 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
James Harden on the loss: “Transition defense. Simple.” – 9:57 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash says Joe Harris getting a second opinion in Cleveland is standard. @Chris Haynes reported it during the game. – 9:54 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash confirmed Joe Harris got a second opinion on his ankle, said its standard. #Nets – 9:54 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash said transition defense was his biggest problem tonight. Thought the Lakers got way too many points there. – 9:54 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Final: Lakers beat the Nets 106-93. LeBron James put on a show, James Harden didn’t get enough help and Anthony Davis did some things in his return. The Nets host the Nuggets tomorrow. – 9:47 PM

Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
A loss like this should send a message to Sean Marks that even if you’re banking on a healthy return of KD & Joe Harris & cool with Part-Time Kyrie, it’s unfair to put all of this on James Harden for home games. Get him some help, so he’ll have something left for the playoffs. – 9:42 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
The Lakers weren’t playing Harden aggressively on defense early, but changed up the scheme out of that time out, blitzing him quickly with LeBron, to the desired result. – 9:34 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Steve Nash: LeBron James intercepts back-to-back poorly thrown passes for fastbreak dunks, and the Crypto.c–I mean Barclays Center crowd explodes. The Lakers are up 100-85 here in Brooklyn. LeBron has 31 and James Harden has 33. – 9:31 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Patty Mills has given Harden a little help offensively — but in these home games without Kyrie and KD for the foreseeable future somebody else is going to have to help. The larger issue in short term is that the defense continues to be porous. Nets’ 14 turnovers don’t help. – 9:27 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the third quarter: Lakers lead the Nets 92-78. Harden has 33. Mills is the only other Net in double-figures with 13. Nets shooting 21 percent from 3 and just 40 percent from the field. LeBron has 27. – 9:12 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
James Harden has 33 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists, but the Nets find themselves down against the Lakers, 92-78, entering the 4th quarter. No roster combination can account for the Nets’ lack of firepower: No KD, No Kyrie, and no Joe Harris against a healthy Lakers squad. – 9:12 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Harden got the Nets within two during the third but just too much firepower from LeBron and the Lakers. They lead 92-78 heading to the fourth. – 9:11 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Two terrific plays from Austin Reaves, one on defense (stripping Harden), then grabbing an offensive board to get ‘Melo a 2nd straight look at a 3, which he hit to put LAL up 92-78. – 9:10 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
A foul by Bradley and a tech gives Harden four straight free throws. It’s a 71-69 game now. – 8:58 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
A 4-point possession for Brooklyn here, as Harden drew a foul shooting a 3, plus a technical on Bradley for arguing about it.
LAL led by as many as 14 late in the 2nd Q, and it’s down to just 2 at 71-69. – 8:58 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
I’ll give credit where it’s due: There’s no passiveness in James Harden’s game tonight: Harden did not play well against the Timberwolves but has 31 points, 7 assists and 8 rebounds here midway through the third quarter against the Lakers. – 8:58 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets have the Lakers’ lead down to six after a 3 from Harden. Timeout Frank Vogel. – 8:52 PM

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
GAME THEORY PODCAST: @matt_pennie is here!
A 2-hour show! Simmons/Harden! Then, Shaedon Sharpe.
Then, #PennieFieldTrip! He went to Auburn, G League Ignite, and OTE.
We do Mailbag, POTWs, Yellowjackets, and finish on Chris Mack/Louisville.
WATCH FIRST: youtube.com/watch?v=4xK75h… – 8:43 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Brooklyn got a bucket in the final seconds from Harden, off Westbrook’s 4th TO, trying to get the ball to LeBron.
LAL had only those 4 TO’s in the half, however, and shot 53.3% from the field, enough for a 62-53 lead despite BKN’s 14 2nd chance points. – 8:29 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Halftime: Lakers lead the Nets 62-53. Harden with 22 after his floater beat the buzzer. Aldridge with nine. Nets need more scoring. Malik Monk has 16 off the bench. LeBron has 15. – 8:29 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Nash can’t be pleased with the defense again — Lakers are getting a lot of clean looks and have been able to play at a pace they like. Lakers scored 62 in first half and are shooting 53 percent from the field. – 8:29 PM

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
The Lakers are playing like a team that bet a parlay with them winning and the Harden “over.” AK – 8:24 PM

Matt Steinmetz @SteinmetzNBA
I must say, Harden in Philly would be interesting. – 8:23 PM

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Beyond Harden carrying them (18 points, plus another 8 generated by his assists), Brooklyn is staying in this game in large part through second chance points. 13 so far, and not unrelated, nine offensive boards. AK – 8:15 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
James Harden has 18 of the Nets’ 37 points, but against a team without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Lakers have more firepower.
LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Anthony Davis have scored 36 points alone, and the Lakers have a 47-37 lead here in Q2. – 8:14 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
The #Lakers are on an extended 19-6 run. Brooklyn has been outscored 9-4 to open the second quarter – all with James Harden on the bench – and trail by 13. #Nets – 8:08 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Harden went 6-for-13 in the 1st quarter. Nets need to find some other options offensively. They are just 1-for-8 from beyond the arc/12-for-33 from the field. Lakers getting up and down the floor — 10 fast break points. The Nets don’t have any yet. – 8:04 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the first quarter: Lakers lead the Nets 33-25 after a buzzer-beating layup by LeBron. James Harden has 16 points. No other Nets has scored more than once. He needs help. Lakers had 10 fast break points. Nets had zero. – 7:57 PM

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Harden has 15 of the Nets’ 22 points with 2:12 to go in the first. Save getting stripped a couple times by Avery Bradley, he’s in a very comfortable rhythm to start out. AK – 7:54 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Harden has 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The rest of the #Nets have seven on 3-of-12, and they only lead by a point. Hard to see this as sustainable. – 7:53 PM

Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
James Harden might even outdo what he did to the Lakers on Christmas. Going to the line for his 16th point 9 1/2 minutes into the game. – 7:51 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
James Harden has 15 points and three assists in less than 10 minutes for the Nets. The Lakers finally have their big three, but the Beard is propping up Brooklyn on his own. – 7:51 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
James Harden has 11 quick points, coming out of the gate attacking. #Nets lead the #Lakers 15-12 with 6:36 left in the first. – 7:42 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
James Harden just lulled Anthony Davis to sleep then hit a step back 3 with Davis’ hand basically on his elbow. Harden has 11 points and has powered the Nets to an early 15-12 lead over the Lakers. – 7:41 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
James Harden has 11 of the Nets’ first 15 points to start the game. Has them up three on the Lakers with 6:36 left in the first quarter. – 7:41 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Can’t say Harden hasn’t been aggressive to start this one. #Nets – 7:40 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Harden broke out one of his typical moves to get a PF, hitting Johnson with his elbow to initiate contact before rising for a shot. That was an upset Johnson’s 2nd PF, bringing THT into the game already. – 7:35 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
James Harden says on the Barclays Center big screen in honor of Chinese New Year he’s giving 13 scholarships to kids in China. – 7:25 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. the Lakers: Harden, Mills, Bembry, Edwards and Sharpe. – 7:04 PM

More on this storyline

I get the sense Harden is focused on trying to compete with Brooklyn right now and trying to make the most of the season. I don’t think he’s angling to go to Philadelphia currently. Brooklyn is looking at how they can compete now to try and better themselves for the second half of the season. There are a couple of other Nets notes as the deadline looms. -via HoopsHype / January 26, 2022

When asked about a report from Bleacher Report that Harden is unhappy as a Net for many reasons, from Kyrie Irving’s part-time status, to Steve Nash’s rotations (or lack thereof) to New York taxes, Harden shot the report down. But he didn’t hide his frustrations. -via The Athletic / January 26, 2022

“I don’t know about any reports,” Harden said. “Of course I’m frustrated because we’re not healthy, there’s a lot of inconsistencies for whatever reason: injuries, COVID, whatever you want to call it. But yeah, it’s frustrating. I think everyone in this organization is frustrated because we are better than what our record is, and we should be on the way up. That’s all it is. I don’t know anything about any reports. If you didn’t hear it from me, I don’t talk to nobody. I have an agent. If you don’t hear it from me, then it’s reports, So I’m frustrated because I wanna win and I’m a competitor. It’s pretty simple.” -via The Athletic / January 26, 2022